Pivotal handle for towable baggage

ABSTRACT

A towing member for a piece of towable baggage is provide with towing handle that is pivotal relative to an arm portion of the towing member. The pivotal relation of the towing handle and the arm potion enables the towing handle to be rotated into a position where a person can grasp the towing handle in a comfortable position by his or her side when the piece of baggage is being towed. The pivotal relation of the towing handle and the arm potion also improves the maneuverability of a towable piece of baggage by reducing the need for a person to twist his or her wrist when steering the piece of baggage. The invention also allows the towing handle of retractable towing members to be pivoted into an appropriate position relative to the piece of baggage such that the towing handle lies flush with the baggage and will not become snagged on other items.

[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of the copending U.S.Patent Application of Ser. No. 09/705,171, filed Nov. 2, 2000, entitled“Pivotal Handle for Towable Baggage.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] (1) Field of the Invention

[0003] This invention pertains to the field of hand towable travelbaggage. More particularly, this invention pertains to a towing memberhaving a towing handle that is pivotally attached to an arm portion ofthe towing member. The pivotal connection between the towing handle andthe arm portion of the towing member allows a person to hold the towinghandle in a position that is more comfortable than would otherwise bepossible when towing a piece of baggage along a surface. Furthermore,the pivotal connection increases the maneuverability of hand towablebaggage by allowing a person to steer a piece of baggage along a tightradius without having to adjust his or her grip on the towing handle.

[0004] (2) Description of the Related Art

[0005] It is common for many varieties of baggage to be equipped withone or more wheels that enable the baggage to be towed by persons whentraveling. Typically, a towable piece of baggage is also provided with atowing member having an arm portion that connects a towing handle to thepiece of baggage. The length of the arm portion connecting the towinghandle to the piece of baggage prevents the baggage from coming intocontact with the person's legs and feet as the piece of baggage is beingtowed.

[0006] Baggage that are not permanently equipped with either wheels ortowing members can also be towed using portable towing carts. A typicalcart can be removably secured to a piece of baggage to provide wheelsand a towing member for towing the piece of baggage.

[0007] Regardless of whether a towing member is an integral part of apiece of baggage or whether it is part of a towing cart, the majority oftowing members allow a towing handle to be selectively extended from andretracted toward a piece of baggage being towed. The ability to extendand retract the towing member allows the towing member to be unobtrusivewhen the piece of baggage is not being towed. Furthermore, with thetowing member in the retracted position, the piece of baggage can moreeasily be placed into the trunk of an automobile or into an overheadcompartment of an airplane when traveling.

[0008] In those cases where the wheels and the towing member of towablebaggage are permanently secured to the baggage, it is common for awheeled piece of baggage to have an extendable towing member comprisedof a pair of parallel telescoping poles, bridged by a towing handle,that slide into separate vertically oriented tubular receptacles rigidlyattached to an interior compartment of the piece of the baggage. It isalso known to utilize a single-pole telescoping tow member that extendsand retracts from a single tubular receptacle centrally positionedbetween the wheels of a piece of baggage. In either situation, a pieceof baggage having a permanently secured towing member typically has areceptacle for the towing handle such that the towing handle lies flushwith an exterior surface of the piece of baggage when the towing memberis retracted. This prevents the towing handle from being obtrusive andreduces the chance of snagging the towing handle on other items, whilealso improving the aesthetic appearance of the piece of baggage when thepiece of baggage is not being towed.

[0009] Perhaps more common of towing carts, other types of baggageutilize non-telescoping extendable towing members such as bars or polesthat are hinged to swing relative to the piece of baggage. Typically,such hinged towing members have some form of clasp that holds the towingmember against a side of the piece of baggage when the baggage is notbeing towed and that releases the towing member when desired to allowthe towing member to pivot upwardly into an extended position.

[0010] Regardless of the type of towing member, extendable towingmembers are usually provided with a mechanism for locking the towingmember in the extended position. Such locking mechanisms are well knownin the art and include such devices as spring-loaded detents, cam locks,and other interference locks. Some locking mechanisms are unlocked bymanually operating a release mechanism. Other locking mechanisms, suchas many spring-loaded detent mechanisms, are automatically released bysimply exerting a force on the towing handle that is sufficient toretract the detent. Additionally, some towing members have lockingmechanisms that are capable of locking the towing member in theretracted position.

[0011] Despite the convenience of being able to tow a piece of baggageas opposed to carrying it when traveling, towing a piece of baggage canbe awkward and uncomfortable. One reason that towing a piece of baggagecan be uncomfortable lies in the positioning and the shape of the towinghandle of most towing members. As mentioned above, it is common for thetowing handle of dual-pole towing members to be a bridge spanningbetween the poles. Such towing handles are therefore generally orientedhorizontal to the surface upon which the piece of baggage is being towedand extend perpendicular to the path along which the piece of baggage isbeing towed. In this configuration, a person must generally grasp thetowing handle behind his of her back with his or her wrist rotated toalmost its limit of rotation in either direction. When towing suchbaggage long distances, this position can become uncomfortable and suchpersons often find it necessary to switch hands one or more times toprevent fatigue.

[0012] Regardless of the disadvantages in comfort associated with thetowing handle configuration as described above, alternative orientationsof the towing handles are often not available without compromising otheraspects of the utility of such devices. For example, shaping the handleof an extendable towing member in a manner that would be morecomfortable is likely to cause the handle to protrude from the piece ofbaggage or require a larger receptacle for the handle when the towingmember is retracted. Another disadvantage associated with the towinghandle configuration described above is that, due to the awkward graspneeded to hold onto the towing handle, the maneuverability of a towedpiece of baggage becomes limited by the person's inability to furthertwist his or her wrist.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0013] The towing member of the present invention is configured for usein combination with a piece of towable baggage. In accordance with thepresent invention, a towing member is provided with a towing handle thatis pivotally connected to an arm portion of the towing member about atleast one axis.

[0014] The relative movement between the towing handle and the armportion of the towing member allows a person to grasp the towing handlein a comfortable position when towing a piece of baggage. Additionally,the relative movement between the towing handle and the arm portion ofthe towing member increases the maneuverability of a towed piece ofbaggage by eliminating the need for a person to adjust his or her gripon the towing handle when attempting to redirect the piece of baggage.Furthermore, the relative movement between the towing handle and the armportion allows the towing handle to be repositioned when the arm portionis retracted such that it is unobtrusive and does not otherwiseinterfere with the use of the piece of baggage.

[0015] In general, the towing member of the present invention comprisesan arm portion and a towing handle. The arm portion is configured toconnect the towing handle to a piece of baggage and the towing handle isconnected to the arm portion in a manner such that the towing handle canpivot relative to the arm portion.

[0016] In a first embodiment of the invention, the arm portion utilizesa curved, single-pole telescoping member that enables the towing handleto be selectively extended from and retracted toward a piece of baggage.The towing handle of the first embodiment is T-shaped and a pivotmechanism allows the handle to pivot about a center-axis of the armportion that is defined by the length of the arm portion.

[0017] By enabling the towing handle to pivot about the center-axis ofarm portion, the towing handle of the first embodiment can be pivotedsuch that its crossbar or hand grip portion extends up and back relativeto a person using the towing member to tow a piece of baggage. Thus,unlike towing members having handles oriented horizontally andsided-to-side, the towing handle of the first embodiment can be graspedby a person with their hand by their side and with their palm facingtheir waist. Thus, the towing handle of the first embodiment can begrasped in a natural and comfortable manner similar to how one carries abriefcase. The slope up and back of the hand grip provides additionalcomfort by allowing a person to position his or her wrist in the middleof its range of motion. Additionally, the pivoting relative motionbetween the towing handle and the arm portion reduces the need for aperson to twist his or her wrist when maneuvering the piece of baggage.

[0018] The towing member of the first embodiment is adapted to bepermanently secured to a piece of baggage and preferably comprises areceptacle for recessing the towing handle therein when it is desirableto retract the towing handle. When so doing, the towing handle can bepivoted such that the hand grip is oriented horizontally andside-to-side, which is generally preferable for recessing towing handlesdue to preferred placement of towing members immediately adjacent anexterior surface of the baggage.

[0019] In a second embodiment of the invention, the arm portion has alength with opposite proximal and distal ends and the proximal end ofthe arm portion is operatively secured to a piece of baggage. The towinghandle of the second embodiment is operatively connected to the distalend of the arm portion for pivoting movement of the towing handle aboutat least two pivot axes relative to the arm portion. Because the towinghandle of the second embodiment of the towing member is able to pivotabout at least two pivot axes relative to the arm portion, the secondembodiment of the towing member provides all of the benefits asdiscussed above in reference to the first embodiment, but is also animprovement thereon.

[0020] While the principle advantages and features of the presentinvention have been described above, a more complete and thoroughunderstanding and appreciation for the invention may be attained byreferring to the drawings and the detailed description of the preferredembodiments, which follow.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021]FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the towing member of the firstembodiment secured to a wheeled backpack with the arm portion in anextended position and with the towing handle rotated relative to the armportion such that the hand grip of the towing handle lies in a generallyvertical plane that includes the center-axis of the arm portion.

[0022]FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the towing member of the firstembodiment secured to a wheeled backpack with the arm portion in aretracted position and with the towing handle rotated relative to thearm portion such that the hand grip of the towing handle is horizontallyoriented.

[0023]FIG. 3 is an top view of the towing handle of the towing member ofthe first embodiment.

[0024]FIG. 4 is an elevation view of the towing handle and pivotmechanism of the towing member of the first embodiment.

[0025]FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the towing handle and pivot mechanismof the towing member of the first embodiment.

[0026]FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional, partial view of the towing member ofthe first embodiment showing the assembly of the towing handle to thearm portion.

[0027]FIG. 7 is a top view of the towing member of the secondembodiment.

[0028]FIG. 8 is a partial elevation view of the towing member of thesecond embodiment showing the towing handle and the distal end of thearm portion in a first orientation of the towing handle relative to thearm portion. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the towing member ofthe second embodiment taken about the line 9-9 of FIG. 7.

[0029]FIG. 10 is a partial side view of the towing member of the secondembodiment showing the towing handle and the distal end of the armportion in the first orientation of the towing handle relative to thearm portion.

[0030]FIG. 11 is a partial side view of the towing member of the secondembodiment showing the towing handle and the distal end of the armportion with the towing handle in a second orientation relative to thearm portion.

[0031] Reference characters in the written specification indicatecorresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0032] The first embodiment of the towing member of the invention isspecifically adapted and configured to be an integral part of a piece ofbaggage. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the towing member 20 of the firstembodiment is attached to a wheeled backpack 22 and is comprised of anarm portion 24, a towing handle 26, and a pivot mechanism 28. Althoughshown attached to a wheeled backpack, the towing member is not limitedto this use and can be used with other types of wheeled baggage as wellas with wheeled carts for baggage.

[0033] As shown in FIG. 1, the arm portion 24 of the first embodiment isa curved, retractable single-pole telescoping member formed by aplurality of slidably engaged tubular sections 30, 32, 34. The tubularsections 30, 32, 34 each have an elliptical or oval cross-section andare configured to slide one inside the other in a telescoping manner. Toreduce wear and provide sufficient strength, the tubular sections 30,32, 34 are preferably made of steel, aluminum, or other suitablematerials. The tubular section 34 having the largest cross-section isfixed to inside of the backpack 22 and the remaining tubular sections30, 32 telescope therefrom along an arcuate path that defines acenter-axis A-A along the length of the arm portion 24. A lockingmechanism (not shown) is preferably configured to automatically lock thearm portion 24 in the extended position once the arm portion is fullyextended. Such locking mechanisms are well known in the art and thespecific type of locking mechanism is not relevant to the operation ofthe towing member. Opposite the tubular section 34 that is fixed to thebackpack 22, the distal tubular section 30 having the smallestcross-section has an end 38 that remains free to support the towinghandle 26. A pair of holes 39 are provided adjacent the free end 38 tosecure the towing handle 26 to the arm portion 24 as described below.

[0034] The towing handle 26 is preferably T-shaped and is preferablyformed of a polymeric material. The T-shape of the towing handle 26 isformed by a stem 40 that preferably extends perpendicularly from acrossbar or hand grip 42 along a center axis B-B of the stem. The stem40 of the towing handle 26 terminates at a flat, circular bearingsurface 44 that is perpendicular to the center axis. A cylindricalthrough-hole 46 extends along the center axis through the stem 40 andhand grip 42. A counter-bore 52 is preferably formed into the towinghandle 26 at the top of the through-hole 46. The bearing surface 44, thethrough-hole 46, and the counter-bore 52 of the towing handle 26 formportions of the pivot mechanism 28 as described below. Finally, arecessed cavity 48 and a pair of blind holes 50 are preferably formed inthe top of the towing handle 26 to receive a release mechanism (notshown) for unlocking a locking mechanism used with the arm portion 24.Although the first embodiment of the towing handle is T-shaped, othershapes could be used. For example, the stem could extend from one end ofthe hand grip and curve such that the bearing surface 44 is centeredrelative to the hand grip or two stems could extend from the oppositeends of the hand grip and curve to join at a bearing surface.

[0035] In addition to the bearing surface 44, the through-hole 46, andthe counter-bore 52 of the towing handle 26, the pivot mechanism 28preferably comprises a connector 54, a journal-pin or pivot pin 56, anda nut 58. Like the towing handle 26, the connector 54 is preferablyformed of a polymeric material and preferably has an upper, flatcircular bearing surface 60 at one end and a base 62 at its oppositeend. The bearing surface 60 of the connector 54 is preferably equal inarea to the area of the bearing surface 44 of the towing handle 26. Theconnector 54 also has a center-bore 64 having a diameter equal to thediameter of the through-hole 46 of the towing handle 26 that extendsthrough the connector 54 perpendicularly from the bearing surface 60.The base 62 of the connector 54 has a cross-section similar to thecross-section of the free end 38 of the smallest tubular section 30 andterminates at an annular rim 66. A pair of parallel flats 68 are formedon opposite sides of the base 62 parallel to the center-bore 64 and apair of coaxial blind-holes 70 extend perpendicularly into the flats 68.

[0036] The journal-pin 56 of the pivot mechanism 28 is preferably formedof steel or aluminum and has an outer cylindrical diameter substantiallyequal to the diameter of the through-hole 46 of the towing handle 26 andthe center bore 64 of the connector 54. The journal-pin 56 preferablyhas a head 72 at one of its opposite axial ends and a threaded portion74 at the other of its opposite axial ends. The threaded portion 74 isconfigured for receiving the nut 58 of the pivot mechanism 28. Thejournal-pin 56 also preferably has an axial through-hole or center bore76.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 6, the towing member 20 of the first embodimentis assembled by passing the journal-pin 56 through the through-hole 46of the towing handle 26 and the center-bore 64 of the connector 54 withthe head 72 of the journal-pin recessed in the counter-bore 52 of thetowing handle 26 and the nut 58 threaded on the threaded portion 74 ofthe pin. Thus, the journal-pin 56 attaches the towing handle 26 to theconnector 54 in a manner such that the bearing surface 44 of the towinghandle 26 is in a flush, rotational sliding engagement with the bearingsurface 60 of the connector 54. The base 62 of the connector 54 isinserted into the free end 38 of the smallest telescoping section 30until the rim 66 of the connector is engaged with the free end. Theconnector 54 is preferably secured to the free end 38 of the telescopingsection 30 by a pair of screws or rivets 78 passing through the holes 39of the free end 38 into the blind-holes 70 of the connector 54. However,other means of connection could be used. The connector secured to thefree end 38 of the telescoping section 30 defines the distal end of thearm portion 24.

[0038] Configured as describe above, the journal-pin 56 is aligned withthe center-axis A-A of the arm portion 24 and the towing handle 26 isfree to pivot thereabout. The configuration of the telescoping tubularsections 30, 32, 34 allows the arm portion 24 to be movable between anextended position and a retracted position. In the extended position asshown in FIG. 1, the towing handle 26 is positioned away from thebackpack 22, thereby allowing a person to tow the backpack without thebackpack coming into contact with the person's feet. In the retractedposition, the tubular sections 30, 32, 34 of the arm portion 24 areretracted into each other and the towing handle 26 is thereby retractedinto a receptacle 80 provided in the top of backpack 22, as shown inFIG. 2. The shape of the towing handle 26 allows a person to grip thehand grip 42 in his or her palm with the stem 40 extending between theperson's index finger and his or her middle finger when towing thebackpack 22. Furthermore, the towing handle 26 can be pivoted such thatthe hand grip 42 of the towing handle extends up and back, therebyallowing a person to grasp the towing handle without twisting his or herwrist. Furthermore, when stowing or wearing the backpack 22, the towinghandle 26 can be pivoted and retracted into the receptacle 80 of thebackpack where it lies flush and is unlikely to become snagged or hookedon other items. The recess 48 and blind-holes 50 in the towing handle 26and the center bore 76 of the pivot pin 56 allow a release mechanism tobe positioned on the towing handle and extending through the pivot pincenter bore 76 for releasing a locking mechanism (not shown) that allowsthe arm portion 24 to be retracted into the backpack 22. The pivotalconnection between the towing handle 56 and the arm portion 24 alsoallows a person to steer the backpack 22 without twisting his or herwrist, thereby reducing fatigue and improving the overallmaneuverability of the piece of baggage when being towed.

[0039] The second embodiment of the towing member of the invention, likethe first embodiment, is specifically adapted and configured to be anintegral part of a piece of baggage. As shown in FIGS. 7-11, the towingmember 100 of the second embodiment is preferably comprised of an armportion 102, a towing handle 104, and an intermediary member 106.Although not shown in the figures, the towing member 100 of the secondembodiment, is configured to be attached to a piece of towable baggagein a manner similar to the towing member 20 of the first embodiment.Thus, in describing the second embodiment, details of how the towingmember is attached to the piece of baggage are not explicitly provided.However, it should be appreciated that the second embodiment could beattached to the piece of baggage in a manner similar to the firstembodiment or by other means known in the art.

[0040] As shown in FIGS. 8-11, the arm portion 102 of the towing member100 of the second embodiment is preferably a curved telescoping membermuch like the arm portion 24 of the first embodiment. However, unlikethe arm portion 24 of the first embodiment, the arm portion 102 of thesecond embodiment is preferably a dual-pole member that slides into andout of a single receptacle (not shown) within the piece of baggage. Thearm portion 102 has a length with a proximal end (not shown) that isslidably engaged with the piece of baggage and an opposite distal end108 that can be retracted toward and extended away from the piece ofbaggage. A pair of spaced apart tubular members 110 formed of aluminum,steel, or other suitably strong materials connect the proximal end ofthe arm portion 102 to the distal end 108 of the arm portion.

[0041] The tubular members 110 of the arm portion 102 extendside-by-side along the length of the arm portion 102 in close proximityto each other and are preferably rigidly connected to each other at theopposite proximal and distal 108 ends of the arm portion 102. Thus, thetwo tubular members 110 of the arm portion 102 function much like aconventional single-pole member and the two members are utilized inplace of a single tubular member mainly for aesthetic purposes. Finally,a through-hole 112 is preferably formed through each of the tubularmembers 110 adjacent the distal edge 114 of each of the tubular members.

[0042] The arm portion 102 also comprises a pair of distal end caps 116that are preferably formed of a polymeric material. Each of the end caps116 has a base portion 118 that is configured and adapted to slide intothe distal end of one of the tubular members 110 in a socketing manner.A shoulder 120 is formed on each of the end caps 116 adjacent the baseportion 118 and is configured to engage against the distal edge 114 ofeach of the tubular members 110 to prevent the end cap from slidingfurther into the tubular member. A first through-hole 122 is formedthrough the base portion 118 of each end cap 116. Each base portionthrough-hole 122 aligns with the though-hole 112 of the respectivetubular member 110 when the base portion of the end cap is inserted intothe tubular member and the shoulder 120 of the end cap is engaged withthe distal edge 114 of the tubular member. A fastener 124, such as arivet, passes through the through-hole 112 of each tubular member 110and the first through-hole 122 of each end cap base portion 118 andthereby secures the end caps to the tubular members.

[0043] Each of the end caps 116 also comprises a planer bearing surface126 that is oriented perpendicular to the shoulder 120 of the end cap.The bearing surface 126 preferably has a circular periphery. A secondthrough-hole 128 is formed through each end cap 116 and is centered inand perpendicular to the bearing surface. The second through-holes 128of the bearing caps are coaxial. The second through-hole has acounter-bore 130 that is formed into the side of each end cap 116opposite the bearing surface 126. The counter-bore 130 thereby forms arecessed annular shelf 132. With each end cap 116 attached to one of thetubular members 110 of the arm portion 102 as described above, thebearing surfaces 126 of the end caps are spaced apart and are orientedparallel to and facing each other.

[0044] The towing handle 104 of the second embodiment of the towingmember 100 is preferably formed of polymeric material and metal. Thetowing handle 104 is T-shaped and comprises a grip portion 134 formed ofpolymeric material and having opposite free ends 136. A stem portion 138of the towing handle 104 is also formed of polymeric material,preferably integrally with the grip portion 134. The stem portion 138intersects the grip portion 134 and extends preferably perpendicularlytherefrom. A circular bearing surface 140 is formed at the end of thetowing handle stem portion 138. The towing handle 104 also comprises ahandle pivot shaft 142 that is preferably formed of metal and iscentered in and protrudes perpendicularly from the stem portion bearingsurface 140. The pivot shaft 142 projects from the stem portion bearingsurface to a threaded portion 144 of the shaft adjacent its distal end.The opposite end 146 of the handle pivot shaft 142 extends into thehandle grip portion 134 and is preferably narrowed, knurled, orotherwise textured (not shown) and the grip portion 134 and stem portion138 of the towing handle 104 are molded around the handle pivot shaftsecuring the handle pivot shaft to the towing handle grip and stemportions.

[0045] The intermediary member 106 of the towing member 100 ispreferably formed of a polymeric material as a single monolithic part. Apair of first and second circular bearing surfaces 146,148 are formed atopposite ends of the intermediary member 106 and are parallel to andaligned with each other. A third circular bearing surface 150 is formedon the intermediary member 106 and is oriented perpendicular to thefirst and second bearing surfaces 146,148. A first through-hole 152extends through intermediary member 106 perpendicularly from the centerof the first bearing surface 146 to the center of the second bearingsurface 148. A second through-hole 154 extends through the intermediarymember 106, perpendicularly from the center of the third bearing surface150. The second through-hole 154 has a counter-bore 156 that is formedinto the intermediary member 106 from the side opposite to the thirdbearing surface 150. The counter-bore 156 forms a recessed annular shelf158.

[0046] In addition to the arm portion 102, the towing handle 104, andthe intermediary member 106, the towing member 100 of the secondembodiment also comprises a shoulder-bolt 160, a shoulder-bolt nut 162,and a handle pivot shaft nut 164 that are utilized to connect thecomponents of the towing member together. The towing handle 104 isassembled to the arm portion 102 of the towing member 100 via theintermediary member 106.

[0047] The assembly of the various components of the towing member 100of the second embodiment is achieved by first inserting the handle pivotshaft 142 of the towing handle 104 into the second through-hole 154 ofthe intermediary member 106 such that the bearing surface 140 of thetowing handle engages against the third bearing surface 150 of theintermediary member. The handle pivot shaft nut 164 is then insertedinto the counter-bore 156 of the intermediary member 106 and is threadedonto the threaded portion 144 of the handle pivot shaft 142 until itlightly engages against the recessed annular shelf 158 of theintermediary member. Thus, the handle pivot shaft nut 164 thereby holdsthe bearing surface 140 of the towing handle 104 against the thirdbearing surface 150 of the intermediary member 106. The handle pivotshaft nut 164 is preferably a self-locking type of nut and a washer (notshown) is preferably utilized such that, once assembled, the towinghandle 104 and the handle pivot shaft nut are free to pivot togetherabout the axis of the second through-hole 154 of the intermediary member106 relative to the intermediary member, without requiring excessivetorque and without the nut loosening. It should also be appreciated thatthe handle pivot shaft 142 of the towing handle 104 and the handle pivotshaft nut 164 are dimensioned such that the first through-hole 152 ofthe intermediary member 106 remains unobstructed.

[0048] Once the towing handle 104 has been assembled to the intermediarymember 106 as described above, the intermediary member is then assembledto the arm portion 102 of the towing member 100 using the shoulder-bolt160 and the shoulder-bolt nut 162. This is done by first positioning thefirst and second bearing surfaces 146, 148 of the intermediary member106 between the bearing surfaces 126 of the end caps 116 of the armportion 102 and aligning the first through-hole 152 of the intermediarymember with the second through-hole 128 of each of the end caps. Next,the shoulder-bolt 160 is inserted into the counter-bore 130 of one ofthe end caps 116 such that it extends through the second through-hole128 of each of the end caps and through the first through-hole 152 ofthe intermediary member 106. The shoulder-bolt nut 162 is then insertedinto the counter-bore 130 of the other end cap 116 where it is thenthreaded onto the shoulder-bolt 160. Like the handle pivot shaft nut164, the shoulder-bolt nut 162 is preferably a self-locking type of nut.As the shoulder-bolt nut 162 is tightened onto the shoulder-bolt 160,the head of the shoulder-bolt and the shoulder-bolt nut engage againstthe recessed annular shelves 132 of the end caps 116 and thereby act tomove the end caps toward each other. The intermediary member 106 isdimensioned such that only a slight interference fit exists betweenfirst and second bearing surfaces 146,148 of the intermediary member andthe bearing surfaces 126 of the end caps 116. It should be appreciatedthat the shoulder-bolt nut 162 is tightened onto the shoulder-bolt 160only as much as is necessary to eliminate any gap between the end caps116 and the intermediary member 106 and is not tightened to the pointthat significantly prohibits pivoting movement between the intermediarymember and the end caps about the axis of the shoulder-bolt.

[0049] Once the towing member 100 of the second embodiment is assembledas described above, the towing handle 104 can be pivoted about two axesrelative to the arm portion 102 of the towing member. A first one of theaxes is the axis of the shoulder-bolt 160 about which the towing handle104 and the intermediary member 106 pivot together relative to the endcaps 116 of the arm portion 102 of the towing member 100. This firstaxis remains generally parallel to the rotation axis of the wheels ofthe piece of baggage to which the towing member 100 is ultimatelyattached. A second one of the axes is the axis of the handle pivot shaft142 about which the towing handle 104 and the handle pivot shaft nut 164are free to rotate relative to the intermediary member 106 of the towingmember 100.

[0050] The multi-axis pivoting of the towing member 100 of the secondembodiment allows the towing handle 104 to be oriented as shown in FIGS.10 and 11, relative to the arm portion 102 of the towing member. In FIG.10, the towing handle 104 is shown in an orientation wherein the gripportion 134 of the towing handle 104 is oriented parallel to the firstaxis. In this orientation, the towing handle 104 can be easily retractedinto the piece of baggage in a manner similar to the manner described inreference to the towing member 20 of the first embodiment. As shown inFIG. 11, the towing handle 104 has been pivoted about both the first andsecond axes in a manner such that the second axis extends vertically andthe grip portion 134 of the towing handle extends horizontally in aplane perpendicular to the first axis. In this orientation, the gripportion 134 of the towing handle 104 is ideally positioned for a personto tow the piece of baggage without flexing his or her wrist, regardlessof the angle of inclination of the piece of baggage.

[0051] While the invention has been described in reference to specificembodiments, it should be understood that modifications and variationscould be made without departing from the scope of the invention. Forexample, it should be understood that the use of the towing member ofthe invention is not limited to backpacks and the towing member could beused on various other types of baggage. Additionally, the arm portion ofthe towing member need not necessarily be curved. Furthermore, thetowing handle could be pivotally attached to the arm portion of thetowing member using a ball-and-socket type connection and couldtherefore be pivoted about at least three axes. Hence it should be clearthat numerous variations of the invention could be made withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention defined by the followingclaims.

What is claimed:
 1. A hand towed piece of baggage comprising: a piece ofbaggage; at least one wheel connected to the piece of baggage, the wheelhaving a wheel rotation axis; an arm portion having a length withopposite proximal and distal ends, the proximal end of the arm portionbeing operatively secured to the piece of baggage; and a towing handleoperatively connected to the distal end of the arm portion for pivotingmovement of the towing handle about at least two pivot axes relative tothe arm portion.
 2. The hand towed piece of baggage of claim 1, furthercomprising: one of the at least two pivot axes being orientedsubstantially parallel to the wheel rotation axis.
 3. The hand towedpiece of baggage of claim 17 further comprising: the at least two pivotaxes comprising a first axis and second axis that intersect each other.4. The hand towed piece of baggage of claim 1, further comprising: thearm portion being movable between extended and retracted positionsrelative to the piece of baggage such that the towing handle is closerto the piece of baggage when the arm is in the retracted position thanwhen the arm is in the extended position.
 5. The hand towed piece ofbaggage of claim 4, further comprising: the arm portion being comprisedof at least two telescoping sections that are slidably attached to eachother for relative telescoping movement, the relative telescopingmovement allowing the arm portion to be movable between the extended andthe retracted positions.
 6. The hand towed piece of baggage of claim 1,further comprising: an intermediary member operatively connecting thehandle to the arm portion, the intermediary member being pivotallyconnected to the arm portion for pivotal movement of the intermediarymember and the handle about a first one of the at least two pivot axesrelative to the arm portion, the intermediary member also beingpivotally connected to the handle for pivotal movement of the handleabout a second one of the at least two pivot axes relative to theintermediary member and the arm portion.
 7. The hand towed piece ofbaggage of claim 6, further comprising: the first one of the at leasttwo pivot axes being oriented substantially parallel to the wheelrotation axis and the second one of the at least two pivot axes beingoriented in a plane substantially perpendicular to the first one of theat least two pivot axes.
 8. The hand towed piece of baggage of claim 7,further comprising: the first one of the at least two pivot axesintersecting the second one of the at least two pivot axes.
 9. The handtowed piece of baggage of claim 1, further comprising: the towing handlebeing T-shaped and comprising an elongated hand grip with opposite freeends and a stem that intersects and projects from the hand grip betweenthe opposite free ends, the stem operatively connecting the towinghandle to the arm portion.
 10. The hand towed piece of baggage of claim9, further comprising: the arm portion being movable between extendedand retracted positions relative to the piece of baggage such that thetowing handle is closer to the piece of baggage when the arm portion isin the retracted position than when the arm portion is in the extendedposition.
 11. The hand towed piece of baggage of claim 10, furthercomprising: the opposite free ends of the hand grip defining a hand gripaxis that extends from one of the opposite free ends to the other of theopposite free ends, the pivotal movement between the towing handle andthe arm portion about the at least two pivot axes allowing the hand gripaxis to be oriented horizontally in a plane perpendicular to the wheelrotation axis when the arm portion is in the extended position and thepiece of baggage is being hand towed, the pivotal movement between thetowing handle and the arm portion about the at least two pivot axes alsoallowing the hand grip axis to be oriented parallel to the wheelrotation axis when the arm portion is in the retracted position.
 12. Thehand towed piece of baggage of claim 9, further comprising: anintermediary member operatively connecting the handle to the armportion, the intermediary member being pivotally connected to the armportion for pivotal movement of the intermediary member and the handleabout a first one of the at least two pivot axes relative to the armportion, the intermediary member also being pivotally connected to thestem of the handle for pivotal movement of the handle about a second oneof the at least two pivot axes relative to the intermediary member andthe arm portion.
 13. The hand towed piece of baggage of claim 12,further comprising: the first one of the at least two pivot axes beingoriented substantially parallel to the wheel rotation axis and thesecond one of the at least two pivot axes being oriented in a planesubstantially perpendicular to the first one of the at least two pivotaxes.
 14. A hand towed piece of baggage comprising: a piece of baggage;at least one wheel connected to the piece of baggage, the wheel having awheel rotation axis; an arm portion having a length with oppositeproximal and distal ends, the proximal end of the arm portion beingoperatively secured to the piece of baggage; a towing handle; and ameans for operatively connecting the towing handle to the distal end ofthe arm portion in a manner that allows the towing handle to pivot aboutat least two pivot axes relative to the arm portion.
 15. The hand towedpiece of baggage of claim 14, further comprising: a first one of the atleast two pivot axes being oriented substantially parallel to the wheelrotation axis and a second one of the at least two pivot axes beingoriented in a plane substantially perpendicular to the first one of theat least two pivot axes.
 16. The hand towed piece of baggage of claim15, further comprising: the first one of the at least two pivot axesintersecting the second one of the at least two pivot axes.
 17. The handtowed piece of baggage of claim 14, further comprising: the arm portionbeing movable between extended and retracted positions relative to thepiece of baggage such that the towing handle is closer to the piece ofbaggage when the arm portion is in the retracted position than when thearm portion is in the extended position.
 18. The hand towed piece ofbaggage of claim 17, further comprising: the towing handle beingT-shaped and comprising an elongated hand grip that comprises oppositefree ends that define a hand grip axis that extends from one of theopposite free ends to the other of the opposite free ends, the means foroperatively connecting the towing handle to the distal end of the armportion allowing the hand grip axis to be oriented horizontally in aplane perpendicular to the wheel rotation axis when the arm portion isin the extended position and the piece of baggage is being hand towed,the means for operatively connecting the towing handle to the distal endof the arm portion also allowing the hand grip axis to be orientedparallel to the wheel rotation axis when the arm portion is in theretracted position
 19. A method of operating a hand towed piece ofbaggage, the method comprising: providing a piece of baggage having atleast one wheel, an arm portion, and a towing handle, the at least onewheel being connected to the piece of baggage for rotation about a wheelrotation axis, the arm portion having a length with opposite proximaland distal ends, the proximal end of the arm portion being operativelysecured to the piece of baggage, the towing handle being operativelyconnected to the distal end of the arm portion in a manner that allowsthe towing handle to pivot about at least two pivot axes relative to thearm portion, the arm portion being movable between extended andretracted positions relative to the piece of baggage such that thetowing handle is closer to the piece of baggage when the arm portion isin the retracted position than when the arm portion is in the extendedposition, the towing handle comprising an elongated hand grip thatdefines a hand grip axis; pivotally moving the towing handle relative tothe arm portion about the at least two pivot axes in a manner such thatthe hand grip of the towing handle is oriented with the hand grip axisextending horizontally in a plane perpendicular to the wheel rotationaxis when the arm portion is in the extended position and the piece ofbaggage is being hand towed; and pivotally moving the towing handlerelative to the arm portion about the at least two pivot axes in amanner such that the hand grip of the towing handle is oriented with thehand grip axis extending parallel to the wheel rotation axis when thearm portion is in the retracted position.
 20. The method of claim 19,further comprising: the pivotal motion of the towing handle relative tothe arm portion about the at least two pivot axes occurring about afirst one of the at least two pivot axes that is oriented substantiallyparallel to the wheel rotation axis and about a second one of the atleast two pivot axes that is oriented in a plane substantiallyperpendicular to the first one of the at least two pivot axes.